Part 4:Testing and evaluating composite HPL elements

Due to its excellent usage properties, such as robustness, easy cleaning, hygiene and its many decorative design options, HPL can be found as a surface for furniture, doors, wall panels etc. For this purpose, HPL is used primarily in combination with substrates, whereby design, HPL, substrate board and adhesive system determine the properties of the composite element.  For this reason, HPL and substrates – the following considers only elements with chipboard substrates – as well as the adhesive systems which are used, have to meet the requirements for the intended application. The relevant standards are, primarily, EN 438 for HPL, EN 312 for chipboard, EN 204 for adhesives and EN 13894 for HPL elements.

Other important properties are recorded with the tests described in the following and provide additional information on the quality of the composite elements and therefore on their suitability for the intended use.

Testing on the finished elements may only be conducted seven days after manufacturing and subsequent storage, at the earliest. The actual measurements are conducted on samples which have been conditioned in a standard climate at 23 °C and 50 % relative humidity as per DIN 50014.
 

Table 14: Summary of Essential Requirements for Composite Elements Made of HPL and Chipboard